Automatic fire and burglar alarm



Nu. 625,378. Patented may. 23, |899.

f s. H. BUHKHART & A. KuNKEL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE AND BURGLAR ALARM.

(Application led Dec. 13, 1898.) (N0 Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

SAMUEL H. BURKHART AND AUGUST KUNKEL, OF JOHNSTOWN,

' PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE AND BURGLAR ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 625,378, dated May 23, 1899.

Application filed December 13, 1898- Serial No. 699,166. (No model.)

T0 (LZZ wiz/rmt it 7mo/y concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL H. BUEKHART and AUGUST KUNKEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Automatic Fire and Burglar Alarm, of which the following is a specilication.

The invention relates to improvements in automatic iire and burglar alarms.

, The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of burglar and tire alarms and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient device which will be positive and reliable in operation and capable of automatically ringing a bellin case of iire or an attempt to enter a house surreptitiously.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of arts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the manner of applying the device to a window. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the circuit-closing device, the top plate of the casing being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the oontact-plate- Fig. 5 is a similar view of the spring'. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the circuit-closing device, illustrating the arrangement of parts for use as a nre-alarm.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a substantially rectangular casing provided at its ends with projecting segmental flanges and having a removable face-plate 3, which is supported above the back of the casing by sides 4 and ends 5, preferably formed integral with the back 6. The segmental iianges are provided with per forations adapted to receive screws 7 or other suitable fastening devices for securing the casingto asuitable support. lVithin the casing is arranged a substantially U -shaped spring 8, composed of sides 9 and 10 and a connecting-coil 11, located at the' bottom of the casing and receiving a screw 12 for secur` ing the spring to the back. The side 9 of the spring is slightly curved and extends through end of the spring is coiled around the binding-post or arranged in any other suitable manner to make the proper contact. The other side 10 ofthe springis arranged between a pair ot contact-points 16 of a plate 17, which is connected with a binding-post 18, and the g latter receives the battery-wire 19 of the circuit 15. The circuit'extends to a bell 20 and a battery 21, and when the side 10 of the spring contacts with either of the points 16 the circuit is closed and the bellrung.

The plate 17 extends 'through an aperture 22 of the upper end of the casing,and its lower portion is bifurcated to form a pair of arms 23, which have their ends upturned to provide the contact-points 16, between which the side 10 of the spring is arranged. The side 10 of the spring is provided near its upper end with a bend 24, which is linked into a perforation'or eye of a link or bar 25, which is provided at its outer end with an eye 26. The link or bar, which extends through a slot 27 of the adjacent side of the casing, is designed to be connected with a cord 28 or other similar connection adapted to be readily broken or burned to permit the spring to eX- pand and close the circuit. The link or bar 25 may be omitted, and the cord 28 is then attached directly to the arm 10 of the spring. This construction is particularly desirable when the device is used only as a fire-alarm; but instead of employing a bar or cord any other suitable connection may be used for holding the arm 10 of the spring normally out of engagement with the contact-points.

The device may be arranged, as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, to provide a burglar-alarm, and the cord 28 is connected with a curtain 29. When the cord is taut, the arm l() of the spring is arranged between the contact-points 16 and away from the same, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and should the cord be pulled or broken the arm 10 will close the circuit and sound an alarm automatically. If the curtain should be pushed inward or IOC drawn outward, the cord 28 will be pulled sufficiently to carry the arm 10 into contact with one of the points 16, and should the cord break the resiliency of the spring will carry the arm 10 into contact with the other point.

The easing is provided at its corners with triangular projections 30, adapted to support a cord 3l and hold the same beyond the sides lof the casing, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5

of the accompanying drawings. The continuous cord 3l, which passes around the exterior of the casing, passes through the perforation 32 of the link or bar 25 and is adapted to hold the side l0 of the spring out of engagement with the contact-points, and should a fire break out in the vicinity of the 'device the cord 3l will be burned, thereby releasing` the arm 10 of the spring and permitting the same to close the circuit.

A cord may be arranged around Windows and doors to provide a burglar-alarm, and it can be located adjacent to stoves, iiues, and

' other parts liable to catch are, and should a fire break out the cord will be partially destroyed, whereby the arm l0 of the spring will be released and the circuit closed.

The invention has the following advantages: l

The device, Which is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, is positive and reliable in operation and is capable of forming an effective fire and burglar alarm. The

arm l0 of the spring is adapted to close the,

l. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a pair of binding-postsdesigned to be connected with the wires of a circuit and located on the exterior of the casing, a plate connected with one of the bindingposts and extending into the casing, the inner portion of the plate being bifurcated and forming a pair of arms, and a substantially U-shaped spring having one side connected to the other binding-post, the other side of the spring being arranged between the arms of said plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2.. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a pair of exteriorly-arranged binding-posts, a plate connected with one of the binding-posts and extending into the casing, said plate having a pair of interiorly-arranged contact-points, an interiorlyarranged spring having one end disposed between the contact-points and connected. at

its other end with the binding-post, and a link connected to the spring and extending through the casing,substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a casing, contact-points arranged within the same, a circuit-closing device housed within the casing and adapted to be thrown into contact with one of the points by spring action, and a cord extending around the casing and connected with the circuit-closing device and normally holding the same between the contact-points, said cord being adapted to be burned to release the said circuit-closing device, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising a casing provided with projections, apair of contact-points mounted within the casing, a circuit-closing device arranged between the contact-points and adapted to be thrown by spring action against one of them, and a continuous cord arranged on the said projections and connected With the circuit-closing device to hold the same normally away from the contact-points, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing provided with projections, a pair of contact-points mounted within the casing, means for connecting the same with one of the wires of a circuit, a spring designed to be connected with the other wire of the circuit and arranged between the contact-points and adapted to be thrown against one of the same by its resiliency, a link connected with the spring and extending through the-casing, and

a continuous cord arranged on the said projections and engaging the link, to hold the spring normally awa)T from the contactpoints, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL H. BURKHART. AUGUST KUNKEL.

Witnesses:

NOAH REsE, ALEX. WILSON.

IOO 

